They work tirelessly all day under the harsh rays of a blazing sun, the stench of death and destruction around them. They are a team of Jewish heroes who are working around the clock with one mission: the recovery of human bodies.

The SA Friends of the Beit Halochem Zahal Disabled Veterans Organisation was established in Johannesburg in 1982, its primary goal being to help and support Zahal disabled veterans by raising funds to help them return and resume their normal lives as soon as possible.

There’s a popular weekly satirical show in Israel called Eretz Nehederet. In a recent episode, an actor playing Benny Gantz, the former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and newcomer to Israeli politics, is asked how he’s feeling.

Devotion to the cause of the State of Israel flourishes in the most unlikely places, even in societies where the Jewish presence is small to non-existent. Such is the case in Mozambique, where the work of Beth-El Associacao Crista Amigos De Israel - Mozambican Christian Friends of Israel - testifies to how much can be achieved by those inspired by their Christian faith to promote the Israeli cause, despite adverse conditions.

JNF’s unique “Blue Boy Box” now lives at King David Linksfield Pre-Primary so that children of each generation learn the importance of tzedakah (charity or welfare). It is the responsibility of Jews all over the world to build Israel, develop it and nurture it as the home of the Jewish nation

“Knowledge is Light” was our school motto when I was a child in Durban. The importance of education was made clear to us from as far back as I can remember. It wasn’t taken for granted. A good education was a privilege.

(JTA) Norwegian rapper not charged with hate speech
A Norwegian rapper who cursed Jews while performing at an event in Oslo promoting multiculturalism will not be charged with hate speech, because his words may have been criticism of Israel, prosecutors said.

Did Israeli soldiers violate international law by deliberately targeting unarmed children, journalists, health workers, and people with disabilities during the past year of violence along the Israel-Gaza border?

(JTA) After the New England Patriots beat the favoured Kansas City Chiefs to reach their third straight Super Bowl – their amazing ninth in less than 20 years – CBS sports analyst Boomer Esiason made an intriguing statement, namely that Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

We are winging our way towards Human Rights Day (21 March), the first public holiday of the year, which coincides with Purim. I can’t help but wonder about our concept of human rights and what it means, not least of all, to our government.

President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed in parliament last week that South Africa intended to downgrade its diplomatic presence in Israel. The foreign affairs bureaucracy was working “feverishly” on the matter. “The decision to downgrade the embassy in Israel is informed precisely by the violation of the rights of Palestinians and we are therefore putting pressure on Israel. But at the same time, we are saying we are willing to play a role and ensure there is peace,” said Ramaphosa.

Undeterred, and in spite of the hate-filled disparagement that spewed forth when Shashi Naidoo uttered positive comments about Israel and Jews last year, Haafizah Bhamjee penned a reasoned and sensible article on Israel and the Palestinians in the SA Jewish Report of 22 February.

With Prince William’s historic visit to Israel this week, all eyes have been trained on the Jewish capital. It may have taken 70 years, but the first official visit by a member of the British Royal family began in Israel on Monday, when William, the Duke of Cambridge, arrived in Tel Aviv.

Some 5 600 emissaries (shluchim) from Chabad-Lubavitch from all over the world gathered at the Pier 8 warehouse in Brooklyn, New York this week for the opening of their four-day annual international conference and banquet, 75 years after the arrival of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, from Europe.

One of the questions that haunts the story of Purim and moves silently through the lines of the Megillah is clear and chillingly simple: How could Jews have chosen to remain in Persian Shushan? It was so clearly an environment in which anti-Semitism was so prevalent that a genocide could be planned and almost implemented without comment by broader society.

“The greatness of our nation is that our people are great. We are a nation of heroes, of people with good and decent moral fibre who will not tolerate our country being plundered!” So said Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein in Pretoria this morning.“This is a struggle for accountability and justice,” Goldstein told the crowd (which included prominent Jewish CEOs like Adrian Gore, Stephen Koseff and Michael Katz). “This struggle is about sovereignty. The power of the people always triumphs in the end.”

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JNF’s unique “Blue Boy Box” now lives at King David Linksfield Pre-Primary so that children of each generation learn the importance of tzedakah (charity or welfare). It is the responsibility of Jews all over the world to build Israel, develop it and nurture it as the home of the Jewish nation

There was little new in the duelling speeches of John Kerry and Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday and even less point in continuing to argue the matter with the outgoing administration. But that didn’t stop the two men from butting heads and fighting over the issue of Israeli settlements all day Thursday as well.

“Who is a Zionist?” - Rolene Marks’ latest blog, published today, tackles this multifaceted question head on. “There has been a lot of debate, discussion and social media brouhaha lately over who is or what defines a Zionist,” writes Rolene.

The SA Zionist Federation’s top national duo of Chairman Ben Swartz and Executive Director Nicci Raz, gave an interview to Jewish Report last Friday. The two, pictured left in Times Square NY last month, reviewed their activities over 2016 and how they have had to move to meet the changing needs of the time. They also talk about their new-found stature among world Jewry. See more pics inside - including their new offices.

Last Friday, the chairman of Unesco’s executive board tried to put a damper on a controversial Thursday vote that seemed to reject Jewish ties to Jerusalem. “We need more time and dialogue between the members of the board to reach a consensus,” Michael Worbs told the French news agency AFP. This after the massive backlash from Israel (which withdrew from the body) and many US groups. SA voted in favour of the bill. Will the resolution sink before it can swim?

Now anti-Israeli groups petition government to replace their ambassador to Israel, Sisa Ngombane, pictured. FULL STORY TO FOLLOW - plus the full text of the Board's outcry and putting the joint Egypt/Israel embargo of Gaza in context both in terms of a timeline and its legality.

Find links to all Peres-related content here - as well as those to come and later posts. JR Online will keep users informed of all community-related updates as they come in. Latest this week include "Who will fight for Israel now?" as well as the dichotomy between "Cape Town and Johannesburg services" and the amazing story of the "Peres memorial service in Durban" - any new posts will be added to this consolidated link.

LISTEN TO THE SPEECH from UN TV with Hebrew subtitles (pictured) - In his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York last Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the audience that their governments at home were changing their views of Israel. He said he welcomed “the spirit of the Arab Peace Initiative,” a nod to Saudi Arabia which initiated the peace proposal that has not yet been accepted by Israel.

The 2016 incantation of the Israel Quiz for Jewish learners was nothing like it has ever been before . Overall winner Joshua Arenson of King David Victory Park (pictured) really had to show his mettle on the Holy Land against incredible opposition, to walk away with the stunning first prize of two return El Al air tickets to Israel. Read the story, what Israeli and Zionist leaders had to say, and more pictures - all pics by MARK LIVNI

The Jewish Agency for Israel’s (JAFI) chairman Natan Sharansky last week played host to a delegation of two senior African Christian leaders accompanied by SA Friends of Israel’s (SAFI) Reeva Forman in Jerusalem. The trio had travelled to Israel to present Sharansky with a gift of support for the Holy Land on behalf of millions of Christian supporters of Israel across Africa.

JR Online interviewed Ann Harris (pictured) and Rabbi Moshe Silberhaft in Kenya today. Together with Geoff Ramoghadi they were at Entebbe Airport yesterday, as guests of Israel, for the commemoration of the famous Entebbe raid 40 years ago. They were invited by Israel's MFA to participate as part of prime minister Netanyahu's party to four African countries.

A page (see story) was illegally inserted into copies of the South African Jewish Report newspapers at the Norwood Pick n Pay Hypermarket on Thursday. SAJR would like to advise our readers that we had nothing to do with this inflammatory notice. We removed them as soon as it was brought to our attention and are taking remedial action.

It is the season once again where Jewish communal life will be dominated by the festivities around the modern-day festivals, commemorations and remembrances over the next two weeks. And, this year, the SA Zionist Federation (Fed) has seriously upped its game - bringing Johannesburgers the biggest and best communal FUN FESTIVAL EVER - for everyone. They've catered for kids, disabled, frum and secular - this looks set to be the biggest gathering of SA Jewry and Israelis living in SA, ever! Be there...

Everyone's invited (just remember to RSVP) - SA Jewry are all invited to attend a once-in-a lifetime- event for Zionism: Israel is building the first-ever official memorial to the fallen outside of the country – right here in South Africa.The magnificent memorial is in honour of the 87 South Africans who emigrated to Israel and later fell defending that country. The event will be a who's who of South African communal leadership, families of the fallen and everyday SA Jewry and Israelis living in SA...

"I love this time of the year in Israel," writes Rolene Marks in her latest blog post today. "The country is transformed into a blue and white celebration as the roads are lined and national buildings festooned with Israeli flags." This is all in preparation, she explains, for the upcoming National Holidays.

Israel is building the first-ever official memorial to the fallen outside of the country - to be opened at the embassy compound in Pretoria. “We encourage all members of the Jewish community to attend this very significant event,” Deputy Ambassador Michael Freeman told Jewish Report today from Israel, where he is on leave..